Gaius' Ambition
by Eterna1Soldier
Summary: "I came, I saw, I conquered." Julius Ceasar. In the 21st century humans make rapid advances into space, with individual nations striving to create their own interstellar empires. Space, for most people, was a means to escape, to leave a conflicted, divided and violent world. But wherever man went, devastation soon followed. (Title Changed)
1. Chapter 1

Turian Embassy, Citadel, [sic; translate] 2085

Asari reporter: "Ambassador Vellick, thank you for agreeing with this interview, I understand that with all that has happened over the past couple of months you must be quite busy."

Ambassador Vellick: "Not a problem. I believe it's important to keep the galactic community informed over the events of the Relay 314 Incident."

Asari Reporter: "Yes, the incident has caused quite a stir in the galactic community. Many people believe that the actions of the Turian Hierarchy was aggressive and ill-conceived. How do you respond to such claims?"

Ambassador Vellick: "I admit that the actions taken perhaps weren't the best way to handle the situation. But it's important to remember that what we know now and what we knew then are vastly different. It's easy to look back and point out mistakes that were made, but military commanders don't have the luxury of time. As the Citadel's peacekeeping forces, it is the responsibility of the Turian Hierarchy to protect Council Space and carry out its decisions with the full force of the law. Blindly activating Mass Relays is forbidden for a reason. The reckless actions of these humans put us all in grave danger, and the Turian patrols that discovered these dangerous actions acted in full accordance with the law. I would remind those detractors of what happened the last time Mass Relays were blindly activated. It caused a three century long war that nearly wiped out the Council."

Asari Reporter: "But Ambassador, the humans couldn't have known of these laws. Stopping the activation of Relay 314 aside, wasn't an invasion of one of their colonies a grievous amount of excessive force?"

Ambassador Vellick: "As I said, we had no idea what we were dealing with at the time. After our peacekeeping forces successfully stopped the activation of 314, the humans sent in war ships and ruthlessly destroyed most of the patrol ships. The last thing we wanted was a young and irresponsible species sending in military crafts through Citadel Space, so it was decided that the best way to prevent that was to pacify their closest colony world."

Asari Reporter: "From what I understand many in the Hierarchy were surprised that such a young race was able to not only actively resist the invasion of their colony Shanxi, but eventually managed to push the Turians out of their system. Is the Hierarchy concerned about any future confrontations with the humans?"

Ambassador Vellick: "The humans had the advantage of being in their own territory, and the peacekeeping fleet was facing logistical problems of its own. Yes, mistakes were made and poor decisions were implemented on Shanxi, I'll admit that. The human's reinforcement fleets managed to take the peacekeeping forces by surprise. But that was due in large part to the commanding officer not taking necessary precaution. The humans have only known about element zero for 28 years, and they've known FTL flight for even less. And as a race they are still highly divided beyond what any of our races have ever known. Our ancestors defeated the Rachni and saved the galaxy from the Krogan Horde while these humans were living in mud huts. I hardly think they pose a threat to us."

Asari Reporter: "Still, as Professor Malleon noted, the humans have progressed extremely quickly for a species of society of their age. The Hierarchy isn't concerned that such rapid development could continue and eventually match Citadel technology?"

Ambassador Vellick: "Yes, you're right. We should go out of our way to dispose of our fleets and treat them kindly. After all, they may not like us, and we only outnumber them a thousand to one."

The Asari reporter and Ambassador shared a laugh on camera, as did millions of beings who were watching the interview on vid screens.

Thirty years later that statement didn't seem so funny.

* * *

><p>2018: The United States becomes the first nation to equip a space vessel with a practical Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket engine (VASIMR). Nicknamed the 'Ion Engine', the VASIMR engine utilized radio waves to ionize and heat a propellant and magnetic fields to accelerate the resulting plasma to generate thrust. Although the concept of the VASIMR engine was nearly two decade old, it was stunted because there was no long term viable energy source to power it in deep space. This changed when NASA developed a VASIMR engine capable of running off miniaturized nuclear power generators allowing for a near limitless power supply. The US faced much criticism for using nuclear generators in space - for fear that if a space shuttle were to explode in the atmosphere, radiation would drift thousands of miles on the planet. However, specific cautions were made to ensure that even if a shuttle was destroyed during its assent into space, the generators would remain inert, only activating when in safe distance from Earth. The criticism quickly dwindled as the VASIMR Program turned into a stunning success. The engines allowed for speeds vastly superior than traditional rocket based propulsion, capable of travelling on average about 3 million miles per day at top speeds. A trip to the moon would now take only 3 – 4 hours (taken into account acceleration and deceleration time). And at closest range to Earth a trip to Mars would take only 43 days. Other space capable nations quickly followed suit, producing and engineering their own versions of the VASIMR engine.<p>

2020: The European Union and the Russian Federation begin producing their own space vessels with VASMIR technology, followed by the Chinese Republic soon thereafter. Because traveling to the moon was no longer an economical strain, many more lunar missions were implemented. On august 3, 2020, NASA and the European Space Agency constructed a permanent observation post on the moon.

2022 – 2025: The Mars Initiative begins - a unified effort by the major space capable nations to put a human on Mars. The combined capabilities of American, European Union, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian space agencies set out not only to put a human on the red planet but set up research labs and an orbital station. On January 27, 2025, Elizabeth Hunter becomes the first human to step foot on Mars.

Six flags were planted on the surface of Mars – the five flags of each nation enclosed in a pentagon – with the United Nations flag in the center. Three Research labs were made from large, airtight inflatable tent domes, and the old international space station – which had been re-modified and refitted with VASIMR technology, now rested in orbit above Mars.

2031: With the Europeans unified with their space competition against other major powers, the European member nations sign the 'Unified Euro Accord' officially becoming one sovereign state. The many nations were now considered 'states', much like the United States system. The capital of the European Union is Geneva, which was now considered a neutral district, independent of Switzerland.

2035: The first Lunar colony is established. The colony of Scutum started out as an industrial complex by the Eldeff Ashland Corporation for mining lunar minerals - particularly lunar aluminums' and glasses which could be made into composites. These two materials proved to be highly profitable, and thus the 'Lunar Rush' began, where mining companies both large and small from various nations on Earth came streaking in, hoping to reap in the profits of the new market. The colony quickly expanded into a dozen closely grouped craters that were domed-over. These domes allowed localized terra-forming inside the craters and had perfect earth-like atmospheres. Each of the crater domes were linked by rail transits that travelled both above and below the surface.

A major diplomatic crises nearly lead to armed conflict over which nation Scutum belonged to. The United States, Russian Federation, and Sahara Republic claimed Scutum for themselves. While the US was the first to begin colonization, a heavy drive by both Russia and the many African states of the Sarah Republic ensured that they had a population advantage. The population of Scutum was 21% American, 28% Saharan and 35% Russian - with other nations making up the rest. The bickering nations took in little consideration for the colonists themselves, many of whom merely wanted to be left alone from Earths major powers. The crises was eventually resolved with the signing of the Colonial Lunar Agreement, which stated that Scutum would become an independent state under the United Nations, while U.N. Peacekeeping forces would provide security. This agreement came just as both the US and Russia was preparing to move in military forces to Luna. The Scutum Crises ended without bloodshed. Given how close the situation came to military intervention, the various space capable powers began creating and designing military space vessels.

2038: The first American colony on Mars is established. Although Liberty only composed of a few thousand colonists in underground structures, it is significant as being the first colony on a terrestrial world. As the colony quickly began to grow the US initially only allowed Americans to move in – not wanting to repeat the events that led to the Scutum crises. However, eventually agreements were made to allow Canadian and Mexican civilians to immigrate to Liberty.

2039: The United Nations pass the Mars Terraforming Act.

2043: The Brazil/Argentina War over oil reserves engulfs South America. Although the Superpower nations were quickly doing away with fossil fuels for more efficient energy consumption, third world nations relied heavily on them. The three year war was the bloodiest conflict since World War 2. Millions of civilians died in cross-fires and starvation. Soldiers fought brutal battles in dense rainforests and rundown cities. The war spread though out all of South America, completely destabilizing the region. The war – at first fought between two powers for oil reserves eventually became a chaotic mess as many powers and nations began fighting with their own goals and agendas. The entire region became an 'every nation for itself' shootout as nations fought for control and power. Fearing the war may reach the Mexican borders, Mexico signed a defense treaty with the US and Canada. The combined forces of the Superpower US along with Mexican and Canadian forces on Mexico's southern border dissuaded any South American power from bringing the war north.

The war eventually came to a close when Brazilian forces smashed through the Argentine lines with overwhelming force. Argentina– who was fighting on multiple fronts against other nations – could not hold the Brazilian forces back. The final battle of Buenos Aires took place in dense, built-up urban conflict. Despite overwhelming forces Argentina managed to hold the city for over a month. But in the end, their efforts were in vain. After over three years of fighting, the war officially ended when the Commander of Argentina's forces surrendered.

Although the war was over, the fighting still continued. Over the next few years Brazil, along with its allies, marched across South America to stabilize the region. No longer fighting Argentina, Brazilians now focused all of their efforts on the smaller warring nations that were still fighting for more power. The smaller nations were no match for the battle hardened Brazilian Army, and they easily defeated anyone that stood in their path. The impoverished, war torn civilians welcomed the Brazilians and their allies as they marched into their cities, hoping that they would end the war.

After four years since the war began, over 2/3rds of South America was under the control of Brazil and its allies. The remaining nations, now realizing it was only a matter of time before Brazil took control, choose to join rather than fight a war they would lose. On December 8, 2047, all of the nations of South America signed the South American Unification Act. The South American Union was born. All of South America was a single nation, much like the European Union.

2049: The Russian Federation, China, Japan, Saharan Republic, European Union, and the United States have established various colonies on Mars. Most are small, but some have grown into vast atmospherically sealed complexes boasting hundreds of thousands of inhabitants. Liberty is the largest colony with a population of 330,000 American, Canadian, and Mexican colonists. Overall, over 650,000 humans live on Mars. Not wanting to incite border disputes within the increasingly crowded red planet, the various nations convened at the U.N. Headquarters to discuss territorial claims. After much debate - with each nation haggling over everything from easily defendable positions on the planet to where the most valuable resources are - an agreement is finally made, and Mars is divided among the various nations.

2053: The United States, Canada, and Mexico unify to form the United North American States. Due to the fact the Americans, Canadians, and Mexicans made an aggressive effort in colonizing Mars, most of the colonies were from their prospective nations. When the three nations joined, the United North American States now had control of over half of Mars.

2057: A small band of independent miners accidently stumbled upon ancient alien ruins on Mars. What they discovered was a small cache of highly advanced Prothean technology hidden deep beneath the surface of Mars on the south polar region of Promethei Planum. Further investigation into the underground complex yielded several large crates of an unknown material. It was regarded as the single most important discovery in human history. The cache became the focus point of virtually every scientist, researcher, and engineer of the human race. Researches eventually learned that the 'Protheans' travelled faster than light with the use of the newly discovered element with the atomic number of zero. Major media outlets quickly dubbed this mysterious element as 'element zero'.

2057 - 2062: Within a mere two years of the discovery, Earths major powers had managed to reverse engineer and develop ships capable of faster than light travel. Element zero or 'eezo' was discovered on various moons of the outer planets, no longer making the large containers of eezo found on Mars valuable, thus removing incredible tension over which nation got how much. Artificial gravity was unlocked shortly after the mass effect engines, followed by mass effect shields. Each nation began building their own civilian ships and military fleets to secure their territory. The United North American States, European Union, and Chinese Republic had larger fleets to defend their larger territorial holds, particularly on Mars and around the many moons of the gas giants.

In 2061, researchers finally unlocked the greatest secret of the Prothean data cache. Charon, the moon orbiting Pluto, was in fact a giant machine incased in ice. The machine, which the Protheans called a 'Mass Relay' was apparently capable of unlocking true interstellar travel. A joint effort by the world powers was undertaken to 'thaw' the machine and activate it. On December 3, 2062, Jon Grissom and his crew became the first humans to travel through the Relay. His subsequent return two hours later (after traversing a distance of over 900 light years) was universally celebrated by every citizen on Earth.

2062 - 2082: As the decades passed, the various nations of Earth set out to colonize new inhabitable worlds, open more Mass Relays, and build up their interstellar empires. The more powerful nations like the United North American States, European Union, Russian Federation, and Chinese Republic each had dozens of star systems and worlds to their claim. Smaller nations like Japan, South American Union, and Sahara Republic had a few systems of their own, although nowhere near the scale of the superpowers. Back on Earth all of the African nations were finally absorbed into the Saharan Republic, while China controlled most of Asia (although roughly a third of Asia was united behind Japanese leadership against China). Tensions between Japan and China consist today.

Each interstellar empire set out to outdo each other, weather in economics, politics, science, territorial control, or in military might. Every nation had differing views of how humanity should progress into the future. The human race rapidly began to spread throughout the galaxy. Conflicts came and went, power balances altered and shifted, and the expansion of human civilization continued on.

2085: China's colony of Shanxi goes dark.

* * *

><p><em>I have studied them; the humans. What I have seen both utterly fascinates me—and utterly terrifies me. They are creatures of action, and pursue their goals with an indomitable determination that is both admirable, and unsettling. They are capable of producing art that would make any Asari Matriarch hold her breath in awe, but are also capable of such vulgar and barbaric actions that even a Krogan warrior would disapprove. Throughout their history they have demonstrated an ability to show unparalleled compassion to their fellow man, but have also committed such <em>disturbing_ atrocities against each other that it is a wonder how such wounds could ever be reconciled. They very passionately and poetically extrapolate complex and profound meanings behind their natural world. But they refuse to, or perhaps are incapable of, keeping their passions in check._

_I say that they utterly fascinate me, because I have seen an inner beauty to this young species that should be shared and treasured with the rest of the galaxy. I have studied there art and literature—such wondrous creations! So much variety, viewpoints, and opposing viewpoints. I have seen their magnificent architectures and bustling cities. I have experienced their acts of kindness; their positive and hopeful outlook to the future. I have seen with my own eyes such a diverse and vibrant group of cultures; thousands of different beliefs, religions, and differing views about every avenue of life. And I have witnessed firsthand their unrelenting curiosity and wonder; how they set out to unlock the secrets of the universe with a tenacity and vigor that I could only envy._

_But I too have seen what this species is capable of. I have studied their wars, and how they conduct them with unmatched skill, determination, and ruthlessness. I have read of their greatest acts of atrocities and systematic attempts of genocide against their fellow man. This is a species that has known constant strife and warfare since its recorded history; a species who managed to split the atom and breach the heavens within a breath of one of their single short generations, all in an effort to gain an advantage over one another._

_There is much we can teach them. The passion, the intelligence, the ruthlessness to do what needs to be done, the audaciousness to attempt the impossible, and the will to actually succeed at it, is already there. If we can instill in them what they are severely lacking—patience, diligence, fortitude and foresight—the very things we asari have mastered, then I know they will achieve amazing things._

_When I look at humans I see potential. I just pray that it doesn't go to waste._

_~ Professor Auras D'lana, excerpt from article in Citadel News Net, [sic; translate] 2086_

* * *

><p>AN: If you haven't guessed, this story takes inspiration from the brilliant author Arthur C. Clarke.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2: Ascension

Councilor Tevos stood in her private office, hands gently clasped behind her back as the holographic figure across from her detailed the final decisions of the Armali Council - Thessia's most influential city-state. Although Tevos wielded great power as Councilor to the Citadel, in truth she was - for all tense and purposes - a mere figurehead for her people. And unlike what many believed, the Councilors did not just make decisions on the whim, but instead carried out the will of their respective governments. The decisions she made as Councilor were not necessarily her decisions, but instead that of the Thessian government itself. And the topic that was currently being debated - not only by the Asari, but by the Salarians and Turians as well - was one that would have a profound impact on the galaxy. Tevos knew that, regardless of the outcome, it would be the most important decision the Citadel Council has made in centuries. And that decision was in regards of what to do with the galaxy's newest arrivals. The humans.

Matriarch Sheema - one of Thessia's oldest and most influential leaders - paused briefly from her summations of the month long debate to query Tevos about the situation on the Citadel. "And what about the other two council races?" The millennia old Asari asked. "What is your general perception from the Councilors themselves?"

"Matriarch" Tevos responded, "We are fairly certain the Salarians are going to vote in favor of giving the humans an embassy - which is about as much as we expected. From what I've been able to gleam from the general mood of Sur'Kesh's diplomats, the Dalatrasses feel that the best way to handle the humans is to accept them into the Citadel government, where they would then be bound by our laws and regulations. The Salarians have always lived on the axiom of knowing the outcomes of a situation before any first step is implemented. But they see humans as unpredictable, and they don't like it. As of now, the humans have no restrictions on military build-up or war policies - except to what they themselves have agreed upon between individual nations, which is certainly subject to change. They also are not bound by any regulations on technological development - such as artificial intelligences and nano-technology. And from what the STG has been able to ascertain, the core region of human space is dotted with an unusually high amount of Prothean ruins - ruins that the humans have no obligation to turn over to us so long as they remain a separate entity. And to add on things, their expansion into the Traverse has proceeded faster than what we would have thought, and instead of hindering them like we had expected, it has actually given them an economic boom, as well as vast resources at their disposal."

Matriarch Sheema nodded. "A shame. It seems the decision to give them colonization rights in the Traverse after the Relay 314 Incident has created on opposite effect of what we were hoping for."

"Yes, it has" Tevos responded, her true feelings for that particular decision hidden underneath her perfectly clam face. The Relay 314 Incident - what the humans called 'The First Contact War', came perilously close to becoming an all out interplanetary war - as the Turians never believed in anything but total warfare. When the Asari and Salarians learned of what had happened, and how it was - political realities aside - unquestionably unprovoked aggression, the two council races presented the Turians with a choice; make peace or face severe economic reprimand. The last thing the Council wanted was to be dragged into another war, especially with a race that had proven they were more than capable of giving the Turians a difficult fight. When diplomats from the Council arrived through the Relay and official contact was made with the humans, a peace treaty was crafted that would - on the exterior - seem to placate the humans and punish the Turians. But in truth, the Asari - seeing this as an opportunity to use against the Batarian Hegemony - implemented a hidden agenda of their own.

High tensions still existed between the Citadel Council and Batarian Hegemony ever since the Batarians were ousted after their illegal seizure of the Asari colony of Esan some 200 years ago - the last act of a long train of abuses the Council was willing to afford. The Batarians were expecting another slap on the wrist or useless economic sanctions as was usual, and was completely shocked when the Council - finally having had enough - voted to cut all ties with the Hegemony and close down their embassy. The Batarian government in return had promised a 'grave retribution' and 'great reckoning' against the Council. A reckoning that never came - the Batarians instead isolating themselves in their own regions of space. Like most Asari, Councilor Tevos loathed them, never finding anything remotely redeeming about them in all her years. To her, they were nothing more than slavers and criminals - their entire society ruled by an omnipresent and paranoid government. Although the Batarians had mostly kept to themselves, they had recently begun colonizing a sector of the Attican Traverse known as the Skyllian Verge - a little too close for comfort to Council Space. This was where Tevos' government sought to exploit the Relay Incident in their favor.

The Human homeworld was located in an ideal position to create a perfect buffer-state between the Hegemony and Council space. Furthermore, the Attican traverse - particularly the Skyllian Verge - was unclaimed territory. And after learning that humans were naturally skilled in the art of war - a lesson the Turians learned the hard way - it was decided that this new species would act as the Batarian counterpart. In a move that represented the paragon of Asari diplomacy and political manipulations, they crafted an agreement that would appear to compensate heavily for the actions of the Hierarchy by giving the humans colonization rights into the verge. But in reality, the Council would in fact be gaining a lot while losing nothing in return. They would now have a strong buffer-state separating them from the Hegemony, as well as keeping the human fleets tied to the traverse once they inevitably came into conflict with the Batarians - stretched too far and thin to be of any real threat. Some in the Asari Council were even hoping that it could one day lead to all out war between the two - content to let them destroy each other in their own sections of space.

However, Councilor Tevos - despite seeing the cleverness of such an agreement - felt inwardly uneasy at the sheer uncaring and methodical decision at which it was made. Although centuries of politics and diplomacy had long ago removed any feelings of naivety, deep down she still held onto those ideals and beliefs she had once so cherished in her youthful years. And in a rare moment of consciousness on a galactic stage, Tevos had strongly voiced her opinions against the scheme; claiming that there were too many unknowns to make such brash decisions - when in reality she was just disgusted that her government would stoop to such a level. Guiding the humans down such a potentially destructive path for their own ends just seemed so…cruel. The humans were young - very young - almost like children in her eyes, and were all too eager to jump into a galaxy that Tevos had learned long ago was a very unforgiving place. But in the end, her government had made the final decision, and as the representative of her people, it was her duty to carry out those decisions with every bit of skill she could muster.

"The simple fact is the Salarians feel that the humans have become too prominent to be left with their own devices. If they become Citadel members then they feel that the human economy, military, and political discourse can be more easily influenced and controlled." Tevos said.

"And ever since they presented a unified front three years ago we won't have to worry about who represents humanity as a whole" Matriarch Sheema added.

"Exactly. The United Nations Systems Alliance is now the official face of humanity" Tevos responded. "However, there is still high tensions between many of their interstellar nations - tensions that weaken their species as a whole and make it easier for us to take advantage of."

"And what of the Turians? I'm sure they're more than happy to welcome the humans with open arms" Matriarch Sheema said half-sarcastically. "Turians and their pride."

Tevos smiled. "Actually, Councilor Sparatus seems very supportive of the idea. Not because of any noble intentions mind you. The Turians believe humanity's military is growing too large for their liking. And more importantly, the humans possess certain innovative military technologies that were used to good effect during their retaking of Shanxi - particularly with stealth capable ships and undetectable disruptor torpedoes. The humans have yet to disclose any of their useful technologies to us - an act that they must comply with if they become members."

"And they'll have to sign the Treaty of Farixen" Matriarch Sheema said.

"Yes" Tevos confirmed. "This will curtail any more unwanted military growth. With the treaty ratio 5:3:1, humans will be limited to only one dreadnaught per every five Turian and three Asari and Salarian dreadnoughts. As of right now, if you combined all of humanity's nations together they have a total of 10 dreadnaughts. That means that they would have to scrap at least 4 ships to achieve an acceptable ratio."

Matriarch Sheema raised a brow. "Would they agree to that?" She asked skeptically.

"Of course not." Tevos responded. She had at first had her doubts that the humans would accept the treaty as well, which is why she had some of her diplomats meet with the humans during the discussions to come up with a compromise. "Matriarch, early talks with the human diplomats have yielded some positive results, and I believe we can flesh out an acceptable compromise."

At this, the Matriarch Sheema merely nodded her head, beckoning Councilor Tevos to continue. "Matriarch, we must remember that although the newly formed United Nations Systems Alliance is for all tense and purposes the representative of humanity as a whole, there are still quite a few Earth nations that are not part of the organization. Humans are a highly divisive species, and it shows in the number of nations they have. There are currently 115 nations, 14 of which are not part of the Alliance. The humans have said that they would be willing to 'lend' those four extra dreadnaughts to these 14 nations who are not with the Alliance and therefore would not be bound by Council law. The dreadnaughts will remain stationed at Earth, and will only leave the Sol System if - and only if - war were ever to occur; upon which those 14 nations will lend the Dreadnaughts back to the United Nations Systems Alliance. And they've also agreed that they will not construct anymore Dreadnaughts than the ones they have. But the humans have made it explicitly clear that they will not, under any circumstances, decommission any of their ships. I think this is a reasonable agreement." Tevos said.

Matriarch Sheema was silent for a while, one hand curled over her lips in quiet contemplation, before finally speaking. "Yes, I see how that can work out for all of us. Alright, get in contact with the human ambassador so we can begin to finalize their ascension into the Citadel government. May the Goddess be with you Councilor." And with that, the hologram disappeared.

Councilor Tevos let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding. The past few months dealing with negotiations with the humans had been a truly tiring affair, and she had a dreadful feeling that things were only going to get more complicated from here. The other Citadel races would certainly be envious at the speed at which the humans were accepted into the Citadel government, but something had to be done about the rising human influence. Some of the studies that were conducted on human growth and potential were alarming to say the least. Their economy, while much smaller than most other races, was very prosperous for the relatively small human population. And with the introduction of more efficient methods of HE3 production and the advent of Medi-Gel, their economy was beginning to take noticeable inroads into the galactic market. And on a martial front, they were a capable warrior species - their military strength very powerful despite how little time they've been a space faring race. No doubt this was due to human divisiveness, cultural-diversity, and over-all high aggressiveness and ambition. This was truly a species that was made to fight. Councilor Tevos frowned at that thought, and briefly wondered if they were making a mistake of including the humans into the Citadel in so short a time. There were three other species that were once part of the Citadel - the Krogans, Quarians, and Batarians - and each had proven in one way or another unable to co-exist with the civilized galactic community.

But in the end, she knew something had to be done about the continued human expansion. They were becoming too large and influential to be ignored any longer. They were a young race - young and naive - and if left unchecked would harm not only themselves but those around them. Now that they would be part of the Citadel they could be guided down a less destructive path, as a mother might guide a child to understanding the grand purposes of life. Yes, Tevos assured herself, this was for their own good.

* * *

><p><em>The would-be assassin was nothing if not defiant, resisting all of my forays into his mind. Not something unusual - all criminals fought against interrogation melds - but this human was particularly stubborn, and after hours of melding I had made very little headway. It was clear he was prepared for this, and it didn't help that I had never melded with a human either. But suddenly - during one particularly intense meld, something happened - something I had never encountered before in all my years of C-Sec interrogation.<em>

_During the height of the meld, his unnaturally stubborn mind unexpectedly stopped resisting my incursions. He lowered his mental defenses—just enough—to allow me to enter a pre-defined narrow corridor of his still vastly guarded mind. His conscience was leading me—he wanted to show me something. Curiously, I followed._

_As I delved deeper into the human's mind, I began to feel as he felt; the very essence of his being brought to bear—love, hate, envy, lust, sadness, and above all else, desire—swarmed through me as I was flooded with images of his past. A homeless boy digging through a trash bin in a filthy alleyway; he found a half-eaten fruit, and ate it hungrily. The little boy was young and very weak, but as he looked up at the bustling city streets and dizzying high skyscrapers, he knew that one day he would overcome his pathetic existence, and struggle his way to the top. Other memories followed as our minds drew closer; making love under a large tree on the outskirts of the city—heat and passion overcoming all senses. His initiation into a gang, flesh burning and boiling over from the searing heat of the branding—a mark of pride and power. The first time he killed a man; he sheathed his hand-crafted knife into his enemy—and I could sense a power and exhilaration I've never felt before overwhelming me with each savage blow. And then, as our conscience became one, the scenery changed. I was suddenly brought to a place I had known for a long time—a place I had called home for nearly two centuries. The Citadel._

_But I was seeing it through the eyes of the human. It sparked within him visions of grandeur, conquest and control. And as he looked upon the impenetrable fortress with ambition, power—and above all else, desire—the human knew, that one day, it would all be his._

_~ From 'The Journal of a C-Sec Officer' published in [sic; translate] 2096_


	3. Chapter 3: For Empire

Tarjah was not a happy Batarian. As he stood in the holding room of his ship looking over his newly acquired property, he could only frown. He had thought the lone civilian vessel - no doubt carrying colonists to one of the new frontier worlds of the Traverse - would make an easy target. And, for the most part, it was. Tarjah's fast-striking raiding ship had taken the lone vessel by surprise, disabling its shields and damaging its thrust vectors with ease, leaving it stranded in the dead of space. From then on, he expected everything to go with routine; Board the vessel, disable or kill any hostile forces, and round up the prisoners.

What he hadn't expected was a full command of armed, battle hardened mercenaries waiting to meet his troopers. They put up a tenacious resistance, and his men had to fight through not only the mercs, but the armed civilians as well. Luckily for Tarjah, he had three times their numbers in forces. Still, he had lost nearly half of his men claiming the junk vessel, and his forces were forced to kill just about everyone onboard. The former Tarjah could live with - his soldiers were easily replaceable - but the latter had been a serious blow to his business. And as much as he hated to admit it, he had to accept the sad reality that - despite his best efforts - his business was collapsing.

How he missed the golden days of the Traverse - a time when the Hegemony was the dominant force in the region and his business was thriving. He was young, spirited, energetic, and could conduct his business in peace. And the profits…Tarjah had accumulated quite a bit of wealth in his lucrative career. Unfortunately, those days were quickly coming to an end, now that these filthy pyjaks had begun infesting the Traverse. Tarjah rubbed his temples in annoyance. Just thinking about the deterioration of the business he had built from the ground up gave him a splitting headache. And the pathetic weeping of the lone survivor certainly wasn't helping. "Can someone shut this insufferable thing up!" he yelled to no one in particular.

One of his men kicked the cage, and the little pyjak child yelped back in fear. "If you don't quiet down I'll come in there and beat you myself."

Her loud crying lowered to a more controlled whimper. "P…Please, I want my m…mommy" she said between gasps, shaking uncontrollably.

"Your mother's dead you filthy vermin" the Batarian responded while kicking the cage again, causing her to jump back. "And you will be too if you don't shut up."

She backed into the corner of the cell and kneeled down, knees brought to her chest, sobbing pathetically. Tarjah sighed, and turned to address his long time adviser and friend. "Fortka, how much can we expect to gain from her?"

Fortka tilted his head to the left, as was common among his people while addressing a superior, before giving Tarjah his estimates. "Not good I'm afraid. While human adult slaves are highly prized for their endurance, the resources needed to maintain their offspring far exceed any potential gain."

"How much" Tarjah reiterated, more of a demand than a question.

Fortka shook his head. "Based on the market trends, we might be able to sell for thirty thousand credits - forty thousand if we're lucky."

"Forty thousand credits! I lost 13 men for a measly forty thousand credits! The clothes I wear on my back are worth more than this damn pyjack!" he screamed while launching his datapad against the wall.

Fortka watched silently as his boss raged and cursed at his present situation - a sight that had become quite common in the past few years. The slaving industry had taken a major beating since the arrival of the humans on the galactic stage. When the treacherous Council cut ties to the Hegemony the Batarian economy had almost collapsed, becoming a shell of its former self. With the exception of a few worlds in the Terminus Systems, the Hegemony was completely isolated, unable to trade with any of the legitimate species of the galaxy. Because of this, slavery increased nearly a dozen fold as the their economy struggled to stay afloat. And of course, the greatest source of slave labor came from the resource rich Attican Traverse. Unfortunately, that steady source of income was depleting as the humans began rapidly expanding like there was no tomorrow, breeding and spreading like uncontrollable pests. And no more was this apparent than in the Skyllian verge. And as they pushed Batarian slave labor out of the Traverse, so too did they push out the primary source of Batarian income. Fortka knew that, despite his government's claims to the contrary, the Hegemony was in a deep recession - perhaps beginning to enter a depression.

Worse, ever since the humans gained an embassy to the Citadel, they were now seen as a legitimate force by the rest of the galaxy. And because of this, the independent worlds of the Traverse now felt more comfortable negotiating with them. The humans were now able to make deals, sign defense agreements, and craft trading contracts; and they were doing so at an alarming rate, all to the detriment of the Hegemony. In the past many of the independent worlds - not being part of their species government - had willingly traded with the Hegemony despite their unfounded prejudices against his kind's culture. But now with the new human markets driving the economies of that region, spearheaded by the introduction of efficient HE3 fuel extraction and medi-gel, most of those worlds broke off ties to the Batarian government and instead signed free-trade agreements with the United Nations Alliance.

Some worlds even took it a step further, signing military defense treaties to defend against pirates and slavers and even allowing the humans to have small military postings on or near their worlds. The most noticeable of those was the independent Asari colony of Theraba, a very prosperous world located at a strategically important prime mass relay. With that agreement, the humans were enabled to post a sizable patrol fleet in Theraba's system - a patrol fleet that could reach most parts of the Traverse in hours thanks to the systems prime relay. After a scant two years since their induction into the Citadel, their reach and influence in the region was now stronger than ever.

In essence, the damn parasites were systematically doing what the Hegemony had tried to do for over two centuries - taking over the Traverse. And they were succeeding.

"…and now all I'm left with is this smelly pyjak" Tarjah droned on, snapping Fortka out of his unpleasant thoughts. "Speaking of which, can someone please sanitize her before she stinks up the whole ship."

At his words one of his men grabbed a clear bottle of grayish powder known as 'Hasha' in the Hegemony. The chemical compound was a strong acidic designed to kill any unwanted germs or bacteria, usually used when mass breeding livestock. He opened the cage and unceremoniously dumped the chemical over the child's head, earning a shriek from her as she huddled even closer to the corner.

"It's b…burning my skin" she said, still sobbing heavily. The Batarian grunt smiled menacingly, all four eyes boring into the child. "You think it hurts now? Just wait 'til you get sprayed" he chuckled before walking out and locking the cage again.

Tarjah was about to speak again when the ships intercom interrupted him. "Lord Tarjah, you've just received an important message in your private terminal. It's from your brother."

My brother? That was unexpected. Tarjah came from a family of powerful aristocrats - and he, like his siblings, lived a life of nurture and ease while growing up. However, unlike his squeamish brother, Tarjah didn't want to follow the pre-determined path his father had laid for him before he was even born. Tarjah wanted to explore, to go out and acquire his own fortune - and to cut down anyone who came in his path while doing so. Takka, on the other hand, was more than willing to accept the simple, uninspired life that came with autocracy. "I hadn't spoken to that fool in years. What does he want?"

"He wants you to meet him back on Khar'Shan. He says it directly pertains to our operations in the Traverse" his assistant replied over the intercom.

Tarjah gave Fortka a bewildered look, both men just as confused as to what reason his brother would contact him. It would almost certainly be one of two things - either there was a great investment opportunity to be made, or trouble was brewing and he needed help. Tarjah couldn't care less if his brother was in danger, but if he had some kind of lucrative offer…that was something he couldn't pass up.

"Very well, send the message to my private office." He squinted at the obnoxious little pyjak still weeping - loudly - in the corner. "So I can actually read the message in peace."

"Of course Lord Tarjah" his assistant over the intercom said before cutting off.

"Finish sanitizing her" Tarjah ordered his men. "We'll make a stop at the world of Adek and sell her to the highest bidder before heading to Khar'Shan."

As Tarjah headed towards his office, he could hear the unintelligible screams of the little pyjack as his men doused her with water - causing the Hasha chemical to react, blistering her skin and - in the case of humans, burning off her hair - as the compound killed not only unwanted bacteria, but much of the skin cells as well. It would be more difficult to sell a slave just after the Hasha mutilation, which is why the process was usually done a good month or two before entering the market, giving the specimen time to recover. Ah well, he wasn't expecting to profit much from her anyway.

The door of his private office slid shut behind him, muffling out the howling screams of the human child. _Finally, some peace. _Tarjah relaxed in his cushioned chair, closing his eyes as he sat silently for a few minutes - taking his time to cool down after the day's terrible events. He had learned long ago that he would often make regretful, ill-conceived decisions when he had a temper; decisions that would end up hurting his profits because he had allowed himself to be swept up in the passions of the moment. That was something he couldn't afford in economically depressing times such as these. So, every now and then, he closed both sets of eye lids and just…relaxed, forgetting all of his troubles, if only momentarily.

Inhaling one last long, deep breath, Tarjah opened his eyes and activated his computer console. Quickly searching through his received messages, he found the one his brother had sent.

_From: Takka Ibah'Ran - Urgent. Please read_

Tarjah clicked on the message and read the contents.

_Brother. How are you? I know it has been some time since we last spoke, but I feel we must put our past behind us in order to save the future of the Hegemony. I know how you abhor formalities, so I'll quickly get to the point. With the human vermin infesting the Traverse, Khar'Shan has rapidly been on the decline. Given your business, you are aware of this more than most I would assume. The situation is growing more perilous with each passing year. Not only are we entering a depression, but we're also seeing huge slave revolts across our worlds as our economy crumbles._

_We have been developing colonies in the Traverse before these humans even had electricity, and now they think they can come in and take what is rightfully ours? And what should we do about it? Just sit here and let them do as they please? Should we let the Council and their new human pets crush everything the Hegemony has worked so hard to achieve?_

_No brother, we must put them in their place, and show them why the Hegemony is a force to be feared. Fortunately, my position of power has granted me many contacts with various pirate and slaver rings in and around the Traverse. We are working on a plan, one that will strike fear into the hearts of the humans and show them that we are not to be trifled with. It is time for us to take a stand!_

_I assure you, this is no fantasy dream I speak of. We are putting vast resources into this, uniting the most powerful of pirate and slave groups together in order to strike the humans where they think themselves invincible. If we are successful, we can destroy the human's greatest source of power in the Traverse._

Tarjah paused at that proclamation. Greatest source of human power in the Traverse? Could he mean…

He continued reading.

_But in order to succeed we're going to need all the help we can get. My brother, despite our differences in the past, I have always respected your shrewdness and cunning - qualities that have served you well in life. Perhaps now it can serve the Hegemony as well. It pains me to say it, but you and I know that if the status quo doesn't change soon, the Hegemony's interstellar empire will eventually collapse. We cannot allow this to happen. That's why this plan needs some of the best, most ruthless the Hegemony has to offer. That's why it needs you. Help us brother. Join our cause against the human vermin, and let's bring back glory for the Hegemony and for ourselves._

_For obvious reasons, I can't disclose any further information. For that, you must meet me in person. I eagerly await your reply._

_-Your brother, Takka_

Now Tarjah was certainly intrigued. His brother was right, things were not going well for the Hegemony. The damn pyjacks have been growing relentlessly in the Traverse, causing all sorts of trouble for the Hegemony - and more importantly, his business. Yes, something had to be done; these humans needed to be taught a lesson. Tarjah smiled at that, relishing the thought of being the one to teach them. It seems his brother wasn't as cowardly as he had first thought.

Tarjah briefly paused to consider the alternatives. Spending time and resources for this 'plan' - one that he still knew nothing about - would disrupt his slave runs. Or rather, what little slaving was left to be had thanks to the strong human military presence. Tarjah shook his head. No, Takka is right, the status quo cannot continue. His business was falling apart and the foundation of the Hegemony was beginning to crack. At the very least, he decided that he would hear out this 'plan' his brother speaks of.

He quickly typed in a short, simple reply to his brother's message. He never was one for words.

_Takka. Yes, you are right, we must unite against the humans. I will meet you at the Ibah'Ran estate as soon as I can. Glory for the Hegemony!_

_-Tarjah_

Tarjah shut down his terminal and leaned back, his spirits improving greatly. The filthy pyjacks would finally pay for everything they had done to the Hegemony - everything they had done to him. He would strike a fear in them so great that they would go scurrying back to the dirt ball planet from which they came. Only I won't let them. As far as Tarjah was concerned, the only good human was one in chains or in pieces - either way suiting him just fine. Yes, they will regret ever having the audacity of standing against the Hegemony. For the first time in a very long time, Tarjah expressed a truly genuine smile. The thought of striking the humans made him happy, but not the 'normal' kind of happiness; this happiness was the kind that one felt when they were about to get revenge against their most hated enemy.

Yes, the Alliance will pay.


	4. Chapter 4: Power Struggle

This place was known for many things…

…The grand gateway to humanity - the nerve center of human military might - the heart of Alliance space - the guardian of Earth's relay. It was an architectural and engineering wonder - respected and admired not just by humans, but by denizens across the galaxy. It was a symbol of unity and maturity - a shining example of what the human race can accomplish when united with a common goal. Its construction was an ambitious undertaking decades in the making - overcoming not just logistical hurtles, but political ones. It was, without doubt, the greatest engineering marvel in human history. It was grand. It was inspirational. It was the future.

It was Arcturus Station.

As Ambassador Rosenberg stood in his office overlooking the main atrium, he reminded himself how much he _hated_ this place. To him, a trip to the grand station meant only one thing - a political headache. Whether it was dealing with trade negotiations with alien diplomats or - more frequently - internal disputes by the various interstellar nations, Rosenberg could always count on the situations becoming a tangled mass of intergovernmental bureaucracy and hidden agendas. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if - more often than not - the Ambassador found himself trying to settle disputes not with other races, but with his own. Rosenberg knew that - despite the United Nations Systems Alliance claim to the contrary - humans were still divided.

During the events of the First Contact War, humans for the first time put aside their differences and united with a common goal. Even the most opposing factions understood the gravity of the situation - and knew that differences had to be set aside to protect their species as a whole. It was a rallying cry like no other. For the first time, humans weren't fighting humans. For the first time, all of man was united. Every major force pledged its support to retaking Shanxi - even Japan, who had been bitter rivals with China for nearly a century. Because it wasn't a Chinese colony that was attacked. It wasn't a Chinese world that was conquered by an unknown force. It wasn't Chinese people who were being killed on the streets of New Hong Kong. It was _humans. _

The united force that retook Shanxi became known as the Systems Alliance Command, and that force remained long after hostilities ended. Eventually, that military alliance grew into a political and economic one, and morphed into what it is today - The United Nations Systems Alliance. And Rosenberg was granted the unenviable task of representing its interests. This unity was touted as a new golden era of the human race. But Rosenberg knew the truth. It wasn't ideology or some fantastic paradigm shift that brought humanity together. It was fear - the greatest unifier of all. Nothing united people like tragedy. And when word got out about an unknown alien invasion, people were scared shitless. Even after the war ended and humans learned that they were not being conquered by an alien empire (or so the Council claimed, Rosenberg had little doubt what would have become of humanity had the Asari not intervened) people were sill united in the face of the vast galactic frontier. But those times of uncertainty, excitement, and discovery were over. And as the fear of the unknown bled away from the public conscience, those old factions and groups began to re-emerge in force, battling over which direction humanity should take.

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. "Ambassador" one of his female assistance said while poking her head through the door. "Ambassador Kiln'Ikka has just arrived at Arcturus. The conference will begin in 20 minutes".

_Ah, back to the unpleasant realities of the day._ "Thank you Jenna" Rosenberg replied. "I'll be down in five minutes."

"Of course Ambassador" the assistant said before closing the door - once again leaving Rosenberg in silence. He sighed heavily and brushed his hand through his graying hair. Today was an important day - one that would more than likely define Human/Batarian relations for decades to come. Tensions over Traverse colonization rights were increasing dramatically. Human expansion into the region was the main focal point of the United Nations - as many saw this area of space as a catalyst to turning the Alliance into a real superpower. The Traverse was vast, full of habitable worlds, and rich in resources. The problem was there was another faction who had a similar goal in mind - the Batarians - and both sides weren't willing to share. Slaver and pirate attacks have increased a dozen fold in the last five years, with intelligence from both human and Citadel sources suggesting strong Hegemony financial backing. The Batarians denied it adamantly - suggesting that the United Nations was falsifying reports to justify more military presence in the region. On the converse, the United Nations was secretly instigating slave revolts on Batarian worlds, and even going so far as providing financial resources to underground anti-government militia within the Hegemony who wanted to topple the current government. When the Batarians claimed they've found evidence linking the revolt funding to human worlds in the Traverse, the United Nations denied any government involvement - instead brushing it off as 'independent civilians funding operations without the government's knowledge'. A complete lie, but the Batarians had little evidence other than which worlds the credits came from. And given that the trade routes of those worlds were often the victim of slave runs - and hence, legitimate motive for civilians and corporations to support the uprisings - there was just enough cover to make the lie believable.

Not that it changed anything. Both sides were treading on the edge of open hostilities, as well as conducting operations that could be considered acts of war. The situation was growing perilous - and there was a growing percentage of the population who wanted to use force against the Batarians to stop the slave runs - an outcome the United Nations hoped dearly to avoid. For all of the great talk of growing human influence, humans were still, political realities aside, relatively weak. Yes, humans have demonstrated to be a premier warrior species like the Turians or Krogan, but the problem was that the Alliance Navy was _really small_. At least in comparison to the Council races and, unfortunately, the Batarians - who for two hundred years have not been restricted by the Treaty of Farixen. Reports suggest the Hegemony's naval size is five times larger than the Alliance. And with its allies in the Terminus Systems, that edge increases to 8 times the size of humanity's navy.

And the human economy, while being a bright light in the tangled mess of complicated galactic issues, was again simply too small. It was still immensely prosperous when compared to the population of humanity. In fact it now supported the highest GDP per capita in the galaxy. But that was largely because the Human population was, again, relatively small. The Asari economy was about eight times larger, with a population ten times greater than humanity's. The Batarian economy was nowhere near that of the Asari, or any of the other Council races, but it was still about 4 times larger than the Alliance - despite the economic downturn. Of course, the silver lining was that the Batarian advantage was temporary, that much Rosenberg knew. The Alliance economy had nowhere to go but up, while the Hegemony was hardly treading water. New technologies had made its way into the human and citadel markets following Earth's entrance into the galactic stage. Sometimes these technologies were extremely old to humans but were brand new to aliens, and vice-versa. The microwave oven, for example, was the newest sensational 'must-have' kitchen appliance to hit the galactic market en masse. It was a funny thing how technology worked, when Rosenberg really thought about it. Of course the alien races knew all about microwave radiation - and every other wavelength on the electromagnetic spectrum. But how many of them ever considered using it to heat food by dielectric heating accomplished with radiation used to heat the polarized molecules inside the contents? None, apparently - and this primitive, age-old concept was sold as amazing 'revolutionary' technology by various human corporations - one that aliens were eager to throw credit at. Of course, the real economic engine that was slowly turning the Alliance economy into a real powerhouse was its innovative HE3 fuel extraction and medigel. Those two market necessities have become invaluable to the galactic markets - very reminiscent to the oil production of the 20th century. The United Nations Economic Committee had even projected that based on current trends, the Alliance would overtake the Hegemony in just 6 years.

But that was still 6 years away. As of _right now_ the Hegemony had an undisputed advantage in not only economic and military production but also territorial resources. Although United Nations territory has expanded considerably, it was stretched incredibly thin - and the infrastructure needed to capitalize on the resources of the Traverse were still lacking. Suffice to say, a war with the Hegemony was the _last_ thing the United Nations wanted. And Rosenberg agreed. No matter how much he despised them, a war with the Batarians would be devastating - and quite possibly end up with the entire human race in chains. That thought sent chills through Rosenberg's spine.

Fear of war with the Hegemony was one of the primary factors in the decision to join the Citadel - the powers that be deciding that if they were associate member, the Batarians wouldn't dare to attack. It was ignorance that Rosenberg scoffed at. Having studied Council history in great detail, he knew that when the push came to shove, the three Council races always, always, looked after themselves. They would support you when they needed you. But when they didn't, they would leave you to rot in misery. The Quarians learned this the hard way. And Rosenberg had no doubt they would be willing to do the same to humanity when the chips were down.

Taking one last look out into the main atrium, Rosenberg paused to take in the scenery. As much as he hated coming here, he had to admit that Arcturus Station was beautiful. The 9 kilometer long space station was truly a sight to behold - made more so by the 2nd Fleet orbiting above. Rosenberg knew he lived in interesting times. So much has changed in the past century - so much has been discovered; discoveries that brought both fortune and malice to the doorsteps of humanity. Rosenberg just hoped that he, and the human race, was up to the challenge.

* * *

><p>Reporters from across the galaxy were convened near the front entrance of the Arcturus Embassy, each giving their reports to their respective networks of the upcoming events - and the possible outcomes it may bring. Most were from human news networks - such as ANN, SkyFox, CNN, and a slew of smaller networks. But there were also networks from various Citadel races as well; among them was Citadel New Net - the most viewed network in the galaxy - as well as a host of networks geared for their own species.<p>

The lead Asari reporter for Citadel News Net - Trilla V'Tori - was summarizing the event live to viewers across the galaxy.

…_major diplomatic meeting comes on the heels of increased tensions regarding colonization disputes within the Attican Traverse. The Traverse - most notably an area known as the Skyllian Verge - was gifted to humanity as reparations for the Relay 314 Incident, and has been a point of heavy Alliance investment for over a decade. This has brought them in direct conflict with the Batarian Hegemony, who claims the Verge is rightfully theirs. The Hegemony further inflamed the tense situation a few months ago when it declared the Verge 'a zone of Batarian interests' and proclaimed that the Council had no right to give humans territory that wasn't theirs to begin with. _

_Meanwhile pirate and slaver raids on human trade lines have increased dramatically over the past few years, with the United Nations Alliance claiming the Hegemony is actively supporting them. The Hegemony so far denies any involvement. Further intensifying the situation, the Alliance Secretary of Defense was asked what the human response would be about the attacks. He declined to give details, but stated that the Alliance would 'stop these heinous crimes from occurring - with force if necessary - and go after those who support them.' When asked what the Alliance would do if the Hegemony was behind the attacks, he responded firmly 'again, we will stop those who support them through any means necessary.'_

_Economic investments from other races have slowed in the region for fear that a potential conflict could ensue the area. Today both sides are hoping to diffuse the situation by…_

Trilla was interrupted by a stream of reporters shouting questions immediately after Ambassador Rosenberg exited the front of the building.

"Ambassador, Ambassador! Will the Alliance retaliate against the slaver raids?" a human asked.

"Ambassador, is there any merit of truth to the Hegemony's claims of Alliance supported slave revolts?" a lanky Salarian asked.

"Ambassador, is the United Nations Alliance worried about economic backlash from the slowdown of investments in the Traverse?" This question coming from an Asari.

Rosenberg pointedly ignored every question directed towards him as he made his way to the podium. He took note that of all of the reporters present, not one of them was Batarian. Not that he was in the least bit surprised. Among other things, Arcturus station - particularly the Arcturs Embassy - was designed to impress, awe, and even intimidate diplomats and visitors with its impressive size and architecture. Arcturus had quickly become a symbol of human strength and power, and that was something the Hegemony would never willingly showcase to its citizens. In fact, Rosenberg doubted that most Batarians were even aware of the meeting - seeing as how the state government controlled the media; and every other faucet of life for that matter. Finally reaching the podium, Rosenberg put his hands up to signal the reporters to quiet down. When silence was achieved, he addressed the crowd.

"Thank you all for coming. Today is a special occasion for both the Batarian Hegemony and the United Nations Systems Alliance. As you are all aware, there have been great tensions concerning colonization rights in the Traverse. Today, I am honored to say that both sides have decided that it is best to attempt to work past our differences to secure a better future for our people."

As if on cue, a shuttle arrived near the long pathway leading into the entrance of the Embassy, carrying the Batarian Ambassador with it. "It seems our esteemed guest has arrived. Please join me in welcoming Grand Ambassador Kiln'Ikka." The exquisitely dressed Batarian exited the shuttle strafed by his two personal guards. Ambassador Rosenberg and the assembled crowd of reporters, journalist, and dignitaries began clamping as Ikka made his way towards the entrance. There was a notable lack of enthusiasm among the humans and Asari present, Rosenberg absently noted. He understood why. Asari had long memories, and most still resented the Batarians over their seizure of the Asari world of Esan. Rosenberg fully planned on exploiting this resentment should things continue to go sour with the Hegemony. Having the most influential species on your side would make the Batarians think twice about taking aggressive actions.

On both sides of the pathway Alliance guards in dress uniform saluted as Ambassador Ikka walked passed. Straight ahead of him, behind where Rosenberg was standing, the flags of the United Nations and the Hegemony were raised in unison. Ikka paid no attention to the grand welcome or theatrics as he finally reached Rosenberg. They both followed predestined protocol by shaking hands and tilting their heads to the left. Ambassador Rosenberg and Ikka - both sporting completely disingenuous smiles - accepted each other's welcome as if they were old friends. Both understood the importance of making show for the vid screens, and gave one last wave before entering the Embassy.

As soon they were out of the public view, Ambassador Ikka's smile vanished. "I hope the Alliance is serious about these talks" he said in the guttering voice common with Batarians. "It would not bold well for you if you brought me here just to waste my time."

Rosenberg was slightly caught off guard by the sheer bluntness of the Batarian ambassador, although he didn't dare show it on his face. "Well, that entirely depends on what course of action both parties are going to take" he responded. "Is the Hegemony willing to accept compromises? Or will it allow this feud last forever?"

"Oh, believe me Ambassador" Ikka said. "One way or another, this feud will end."

* * *

><p>"What do you think will come of this?" Tevos asked her longtime friend Matriarch Lidanya.<p>

Matriarch Lidanya - commander of the Destiny Ascension - was having dinner with Tevos in the Councilor's private office. Usually the two old friends would use these rare moments of peace from their busy lives to catch up - and generally talk about anything _other_ than politics. But with the vid screen displaying Trilla's report of the human/Batarian summit taking place, Lidanya knew where this conversation would be heading.

"I think the Skyball quarterfinals are much more entertaining?" Lidanya said, hoping to change topics.

"I'm being serious." the Councilor replied

Lidanya sighed. "I don't think we should really concern ourselves with their problems."

"Their problems will become our problems if this leads to armed conflict" Tevos responded.

"You really think it would come to that?" Lidanya asked skeptically.

Tevos took another sip of her Thessian wine before answering. "I don't think either side is willing to share, or back down." In surprising display of emotions Tevos slammed her glass down on the table rather forcibly, nearly spilling its contents. "This is _exactly_ what I warned the Armali Council against during the Relay 314 negotiations."

"Calm down Tevos" Lidanya said worriedly. "Even our people's wisest can't predict the future. We had no idea the situation would become so unstable"

"No idea? What did the Armali Council think would happen?" Tevos said rather harshly. "We wanted to create a buffer state. Instead, we may have created a war. And before you say it's not our concern, remember that well over 400 million Asari live in the independent worlds of the Traverse. They'll be caught in the middle of it all."

"You assume too much" Lidanya replied, trying to calm her down. "We don't have any…

"And you know what the worst part is? If war were to ensue, the humans would lose. I've seen the STG reports. The Hegemony's combined naval might trumps the human's by a factor of eight. The humans would lose and the Batarians would be stronger than ever."

"I know you despise them…"

"There a menace Lidanya. Nothing they have ever done has benefited the galaxy. They are slavers and xenophobes who believe everyone else should bend to their will. And now the humans may pay the price for our shortsightedness." Tevos shook her head. "They don't deserve that."

Silence reigned inside the office as the two sat, their dinner forgotten. Matriarch Lidanya was taken aback by that last statement. _They don't deserve that._ She had known Tevos for a long time, and_ never_ had she seen her let personal feelings get in the way of politics.

The way she said it was also a shock - full of emotion and regret. _Real_ regret - the kind you couldn't fake. It immediately brought to mind the quiet rumors circulating among Thessia's political class that Tevos had an unusual sympathy for the humans. Lidanya never really paid mind to any of those rumors. But seeing Tevos outburst just now made her realize where these rumors had come from - and that perhaps they had some merit of truth to them. For the life of her Lidanya couldn't understand why, if that was indeed the case. Perhaps her old friend was simply growing tired of her position as Councilor. It was one of the most stressful jobs in the galaxy after all, and she had been at it for well over a century. Lidanya was about to bring the topic up, then thought better of it.

"So what do you plan to do?" Lidanya said finally. "I doubt the Armali Council would want to get involved in this dispute."

Tevos thought the situation over in her head before answering. "Just because we can't publicly engage doesn't mean we can't help the Alliance. When everything is said and done only one species will be in control of the Verge. And it would be in our best interests if that species was not the Batarians." Tevos took another sip of her wine. "Perhaps it's time the Batarians finally face the consequences of their actions."

"What do you mean?" Lidanya asked.

Tevos smiled. "Lidanya, have you ever heard of the human concept of karma?"


	5. Chapter 5: Negotiations

Ambassador Rosenberg sat across from his Batarian counterpart - the eerily lit, nondescript room doing little to ease the tension. The 12 by 12 chamber was adorned with nothing more than a single metal table, two chairs upon which the ambassadors occupied, and a low light source emanating from the center ceiling. The room seemed more fitting for an interrogation cell than a meeting between two ambassadors. It was hardly what Rosenberg would consider a 'warm welcome' in hospitality.

Perhaps that's the point. If this was a subterfuge attempt to intimidate the Batarian Ambassador, it obviously wasn't working. Kiln'Ikka - who was a full foot taller than Rosenberg - towered over him, all four eyes intently boring into his with something akin to disgust or indifference; as if he were looking down upon an inferior being who dared enter his presence. Based on personality and psychological profiles gathered by the United Nations Intelligence Service, Rosenberg knew Ambassador Ikka to be an impatient and shrewd negotiator - oftentimes using brute force negotiation tactics to achieve his goals. Perhaps such an extreme diplomatic gamesmanship was necessary for the Hegemony, who for the past 200 years have become more accustomed to negotiating with unstable Terminus powers and warlords than legitimate governments. At any rate, Rosenberg knew enough not to underestimate him.

Deciding to end the silence that had enveloped them, Rosenberg opened the single large folder in front of him and began to make his prepared remarks. "Ambassador Ikka, first I want to thank you for coming here…"

Ikka was having none of it. "Save your breath Ambassador, I have neither the time nor the patience for political smooth talking or pretend gratitude. It serves no purpose. We both know why we are here; to deal with the increased Alliance interference into our borders. So, are we going to talk business or sully in games?"

And there was that Batarian strong-arming. Rosenberg's face remained neutral, although he internally frowned. Not a few seconds in and already Ikka had made an effort to take the initiative. He silently berated himself for treating the Batarian Ambassador as if he were a council representative. If he were speaking to an Asari or Salarian, there would be protocol to be followed, concessions to be made, and perhaps a little double talking and the occasional hand-wringing from both sides. But in the end, the negotiations would always remain professional and respectful - even in relationships as constrained as the Turians. But Ambassador Ikka had already tossed traditional diplomacy out of the window. Realizing that a continuity of standard negotiations wasn't going to win any points with the Ambassador, Rosenberg gently closed his folder and placed his hands on the desk.

"Fair enough" Rosenberg replied. "Let's get straight to the heart of the matter - colonization rights concerning the Skyllian Verge. As you are no doubt aware, much of the Verge was gifted as concessions to humanity following the First Contact War, and has since then…"

Once again, Ikka's impatient side won over, much to Rosenberg's annoyance. "A concession that the Council had no right to give" he interrupted. "The Verge was unclaimed territory - territory that the Hegemony has spent well over a century colonizing. You or your Council rulers had no right to claim what is rightfully ours!" he said while leaning forward, attempting to use his height advantage in a not-so-subtle way to intimidate his human counterpart.

Rosenberg was unfazed. "If the Verge was truly unclaimed territory, as your government so vehemently argues, then why wait so long to make claims to it?" Ikka squint all four eyes, and Rosenberg knew he hit a nerve. "You had nearly two century's to do so - well before my kind even had starships. Tell me Ambassador, why did the Hegemony not claim the entire Verge for itself when the opportunity presented itself?"

Ikka leaned back, and for the first time took a less confrontational tone. "There were…issues, concerning other inhabitants within the Verge - and to an extent the greater Traverse."

Rosenberg pressed on. "Issues? Yes, I would say there were definitely issues. That's because the Verge may have been unclaimed, but it wasn't unoccupied, was it Ambassador." A dark, perhaps uncomfortable expression crossed Ikka's face, and Rosenberg went on to remind the Ambassador that he was more than capable of doing some strong-arming of his own. "Hundreds of millions of people live in the independent worlds of the Verge - the vast majority of them coming from the Council races. And as I'm sure you are aware, these people are slightly less sympathetic to your 'cultural heritage'. In fact, from what I gather, the people of the Traverse overwhelmingly wish to never see the Hegemony's influence anywhere near their worlds." Ikka's dark expression turned to a grimace, and Rosenberg continued. "You couldn't claim the Verge, could you Ambassador. The people of the Verge wouldn't allow it. And attempting to take it by force would not only result in massive uprisings, but would probably cause the Council to intervene."

Ikka responded in barely contained rage. "Their unfounded prejudice against our culture has nothing to do with…"

It was Rosenberg's turn to interrupt. "On the contrary, while the people of the Traverse have rejected both your government and your culture, they have welcomed us with open arms. In two centuries the worlds of the Traverse had never allowed a single Batarian military vessel into their systems, yet in just a little over a decade they not only give us permission to send fleets through their systems, but allow us to station military posts around and even on their worlds." Ikka once again gave Rosenberg a menacing look - the military posts and fleets were a sticking point to the Batarians. "They've allowed humans to freely colonize in their worlds, whereas the Batarians have been rejected time and time again. Human companies are highly sought after for trade and investment, whereas they want nothing to do with the slave-supported Batarian economy." Rosenberg grinned.

And then got petty.

"The Asari want humans as bondmates and lovers, whereas they balk in disgust at the mere sight of a Batarian- "

"How dare you insult my people like that!" Ikka said while pointing a finger towards Rosenberg. He shot up from his chair, no longer able to contain his rage. The normally collected Ambassador was almost seething. "Not only do you attempt to steal our land, but you spit on our culture and mock our people. The Hegemony will not stand for this indiscretion!"

Rosenberg's neutral face never changed. "I merely state the facts Ambassador. Despite what so many believe, this is not a territorial dispute. Not really. It's actually something else entirely. This is a culture war - a war in which we overwhelmingly won."

Ikka leveled all four eyes at his human counterpart, and for a brief moment Rosenberg thought the Batarian was actually going to attack him. Instead he placed his hands on the table and leaned forward, his face the very definition of hostility. "If you think, for one second, that the Hegemony will give up the Verge, then you have vastly underestimated my species."

The two shared an intense glare, neither willing to back down. Rosenberg suspected that much of Ikka's anger came from the shock that someone had dared to challenge him. Realizing that perhaps he had pushed Ikka a little too far, Rosenberg decided to steer the conversation back to the main purpose of this meeting. "No Ambassador, I don't expect the Hegemony to give up any of their already claimed territory in the Verge." Rosenberg responded. "However, I think it's time that the Hegemony must come to accept that their dream of completely controlling the Verge simply isn't going to happen. Both our people will not willingly give up any territory. You and I know this. And after we both come to accept this fact, we will find that there is truly only one way out of this mess. Which is why my government has developed a compromise I think we both can live with."

If there was any indication in Ikka's expression that signified he believed there could be an acceptable compromise, Rosenberg didn't see it. Yet despite this Ikka slowly sat down, indicating he was at the very least willing to listen to the proposal. "I will hear what you have to say, for now."

Rosenberg nodded, and then opened the folder sitting in front of him. "The United Nations Systems Alliance is willing to halt all further expansion into the Verge - other than the worlds we have already begun to colonize. We are also willing to relinquish all rights to the worlds of Sialajara, Terlla, and Moherzzic."

Ikka squinted his lower eye set - the Batarian equivalent of a raised brow - at the mention of three worlds the Alliance was willing to give up. Particularly Sialajara - a vastly resource-rich world discovered a decade ago, and was at the center of the territorial disputes. The planet would be an incredible windfall to anyone who claimed it - which is why both the Hegemony and Alliance sought to control it. But Ikka was no fool. He knew that if the humans were willing to give up Sialajara, as well as halt all of their advancements into the Verge, they would be making steep demands in return. "What is it you wish in return?"

"We only have two concessions" Rosenberg replied. He listed off the first and most easily acceptable concession to the Batarian. "First, that the Hegemony actively suppresses all slaver runs within the Alliance controlled sphere of the Verge." Rosenberg, seeing no obvious sign of objection other than calm contemplation, continued. "Second, that the Hegemony outlaws all non-Batarian slaves within the Verge." Rosenberg paused for a brief moment, before saying what he knew would put Ambassador Ikka in fits of rage. "And that any Traverse citizen captured into slavery - human or otherwise - is to be unconditionally released back to their respective governments." Upon this last concession the Ambassador instantly scowled in anger.

"And now you demand we give up our cultural heritage!" he shouted, all but losing himself in self-righteous rage. "You can forget your pathetic proposal. The Hegemony will never do such a thing."

"This term is non-negotiable" Rosenberg replied firmly.

Ikka once again shot up from his chair, this time so fast that the chair tipped over. "Then there will be no negotiations. I warned you not to waste my time. I promise you, the Alliance will pay dearly for this mockery!" And with that, the Ambassador stormed out of the room to where his two personal guards were waiting.

The door closed behind Ambassador Ikka, leaving Rosenberg in silence. Instead of getting up, he spent a few moments collecting himself, contemplating the consequences of what just happened. Normally, this would have been seen as a diplomatic failure - and will certainly be described as much in news networks across the galaxy. But this wasn't one of those 'normal times'. The United Nations Alliance was unwilling to stop its expansion into the Verge, and never - for a second - considered giving up Sialajara. In truth, the entire proposal - the entire diplomatic meeting - was a farce; A ploy in the great game of propaganda. The key, Rosenberg's superiors told him - was in that last concession. By demanding that the Hegemony return not just humans - but all non-Batarian slaves in the Traverse back to their respective governments - humanity would win huge political points with the other races, further solidifying the Alliance's ever increasing grasp into the region. 'We tried to reason with them', the Alliance would say. 'We even offered to stop all human expansion and give up valuable worlds. And all we asked in return was that they return non-Batarian slaves back to their weeping families', even though in reality the Alliance had no intention of ever solidifying the deal. Rosenberg knew it was a clever plan, and would no doubt help win the hearts and minds of the inhabitants of the Traverse. It would shift the paradigm in humanity's favor. Aliens would no longer look at it as a 'human vs. Batarian' problem, but instead as an 'us vs. them' problem.

But Rosenberg also knew that this ploy came with great risks. Most notably, further confrontation with the Hegemony and increased slaver attacks. Was it worth the risk? Rosenberg wasn't so sure. Still, he was told to ensure that the Batarian Ambassador would reject the proposal of his own volition, and he did just that. Now it was time see how everything fell into place.

* * *

><p>Two months later<p>

Tarjah stood in the CIC of his new ship - prosperously given to him by the Hegemony. The outdated Turian Cruiser - which had been gutted and sold to the highest bidder 40 years ago, had been re-modified and upgraded into an effective fighting force. Well, upgraded as much as it could be. Tarjah knew that if faced off against any modern military ship of similar tonnage, he would most certainly lose. The Hegemony could have of course provided modern ships of its navy that would easily crush the humans. But they didn't want any evidence linking them to the attack. Not that Tarjah was much concerned about his ship's outdated stature. Because in the upcoming battle he would have something that the humans didn't - numbers.

"Bring up the tactical display" he said to one of his subordinates. Immediately the hologram in front of him displayed his entire attacking fleet. It was beautiful. Thirty-eight ships in total - nearly twice that of the defending human forces they were about to engage. It was by far the largest pirate fleet in history. They had managed to unite every major slaver and pirate group in the Traverse, bringing in dozens of ships and thousands of soldiers who wanted nothing more than to strike fear in the heart of the Alliance. Everyone present here had their own reasons for wanting to attack the Alliance. The humans had burrowed themselves into a deep, in-escapable hole - and now they were going to pay for it.

"Lord Tarjah" his communications officer said. "I have a priority transmission on our secure frequency. Sending it to your Omni-tool now".

Tarjah typed a few commands on his Omni-tool and was soon greeted with a familiar face.

"I assume your forces are ready for immediate engagement?" Ambassador Kiln'Ikka asked him.

"We've been ready" Tarjah replied. "Every moment we waste waiting for approval to commence attack is a moment we risk being discovered."

"You mustn't wait any longer. You are hereby authorized to engage enemy forces." Tarjah smiled at this. Finally, after so long a wait, after so many months of preparation, the time had come. "Remember, your objective is to devastate the colony as much as possible as quickly as possible, and then leave. The less time you spend on the colony, the less chance there is of evidence linking the attack back to the Hegemony."

"We are more than capable of destroying their patrol fleet" Tarjah responded.

"Perhaps, but as soon as you enter the system they will send reinforcement to the area. You'll have a few hours before those reinforcements arrive. When they do, I suggest you leave with haste."

Tarjah tilted his head to the left in respect. "I understand. Don't worry, in those few hours I will make the humans wish they had never left their homeworld."

Ikka tilted his head left in return, and then disconnected. Tarjah wasted no time giving out his next orders. "Put me in communication with the entire fleet" he ordered his comms officer.

"You're now connected with all ships."

"Attention all vessels" Tarjah began. "The wait is over, the time has come. This will be remembered as the day we struck fear into the Alliance - the day our enemies trembled before us. Today, we will exact our revenge against those who have stood against us."

This will be a glorious day for the Hegemony.

"All ships, head for Elysium."


End file.
